Noise-making apparatus.



Patented July 14, 1914.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY A. H. MOORHOUSE.

NOISE MAKING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED .TAN.14, 1913.

WITNESSES Cif/d4/1M a; ,C W

7111: NORRIS PETERS $0. PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHING ION. D. C. I

A. H. MOORHOUSE. NOISE MAKING APPARATUS. APPLICATION mum JANA/1, 191s.

Patented July 14,1914.

6 SHEBTSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES L i /44 C. MW

THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTOJJTHQ. WASHING MN, 13. Li

A. H. MOORHOUSB.

NOISE MAKING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.14,1913- 1,103,217. Patented July 14,1914,

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ATTORNEY THE NORRIS PETERS CO., PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHING rm, D C.

A. H. MOORHOUSE. NOISE .MAKING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14, 1913.

Patented July 14, 1914.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Mm I} 0 A'ITN ESSES fl7// C 5/ BY 3! L 0-,. Z1 M? THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. IPHOTO-LITHD.. WASHINGTON, D. C.

A. H. MOORHOUSE.

NOISE MAKING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14, 1913.

1,103,217. Patented 14,1914.

0 b iifiiifiifi 1, %W A A ATTORNEY A. H. MOORHOUSE.

NOISE MAKING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14, 1913.

Patented July 14, 1914-.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

fa naw Zia THE NORRIS PETERS C0,. FHDTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON, D. C.

ALBERT HARRISON MOORHOUSE, 0F STALEYBRIDGE, ENGLAND.

NOISE-MAKING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1 1, 1914:.

Application filed January 14, 1913. Serial No. 742,036.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, ALBERT HARRISON Moonrrousn, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Victoria lVorks, Staleybridge, in the county of Chester, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Noise-Making Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for producing various sound effects for theatrical and like purposes and has for its object to provide improved means for theautomatic production of the required sounds under the controlling action of an operator, such means allowing if necessary of the operator being situated at a distance from the apparatus itself.

Referring to the accompanying sheets of explanatory drawings :Figure 1 is an end elevation, Fig. 2 a sectional plan view, Fig. 3 a plan view and Fig. a a front elevation of a sound producing apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention. Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 are detail views drawn to an enlarged scale, to be hereinafter referred to.

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic View of the con' trol fittings for one sound producing device.

The same reference letters in the different views indicate the same parts.

In the illustrated application of my invention the apparatus is operated by compressed air, as has been previously proposed, the flow of air to the various parts of the apparatus being controlled by valves or cocks a actuated from a keyboard or like part in charge of the operator (see Figs. 1, 3 and 4). Between said valves or cocks and the part of the apparatus by which the sound is produced I provide a series of rotating disk valvesb (see Figs. 5 to- 8), each having one or more grooves or recesses c in its surface. Each disk I) rotates within a casing (Z having compressed air inlet, compressed air outlet and exhaust connections 6, f and g respectively, the arrangement being such that when the disk rotates compresed air can, if allowed by the opening of the proper valve or cook a, flow through the inlet, 6 and the slot 0 in the disk I) to the compressed air outlet f and so to the cylinder inclosing the plunger, vibrating or rapidly reciprocating piston or like part by which the sound producing device is operated. The further rotation of the disk allows the compressed air to escape from the outlet f to the exhaust connection 9. The cycle of operations is then repeated. Any convenient number of slots may be provided in each disk and same may be so positioned with relation to one another that any desired sequence or timing of operations of the sound producing devices may be obtained. In the arrangement shown at Fig. 5, three slots 0 are provided, that at Fig. 7 has four slots and that at Fig. 8 one slot only.

The disks Z) are mounted upon shafts or spindles 7', is (see Fig. 4), the short spindle is being geared to rotate at a slower rate than the spindle The means for driving the spindles j and 70 from the electric motor at are clearly shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 10 shows diagrammatically the. ar rangement of the control fittings for one sound producing device, the complete apparatus comprising a plurality of the arrangements shown in Fig. 10 but each in connection with a different sound producer. The source of compressed air is indicated by '12. The air supply which is controlled by the valve a-is led to a valve casing cl containing a continuously rotating disk valve Z) having peripheral grooves c therein. The said valve casing also has a connection to a piston cylinder 13 containing a piston it held in the position shown by a spring 14. The piston rod may for example be adapted to strike a drum skin 15. An exhaust connection 9 leads from the valve casing cl. Assuming that the valve (1 is open, as shown, and the disk valve 0 is rotating inthe direction of the arrow; when a groove 0 places the passage 6 in communication with f, the compressed air will force the piston h outward and the rod 11 will strike the skin 15. As the valve 7) continues to rotate, the groove 0 will put the passage f into communication with the exhaust port 9 and the spring 141 will return the piston tothe po sition shown. A similar cycle of operations will be performed three times in each complete revolution of the valve b due to the three grooves c in its periphery, the number Fig. 8) in a manner similar to that illustrated at Fig. 6, with the slots 0 so positoined relatively to one another that the hammers or equivalent parts striking the tubular or other bells are operated in succession. The compressed air actu'ates plungers as h, Fig. 9, which cause the strikers.

or rods 2' to engage the bells. By varying the dispositions of .the disks and therefore of the slots a relatively to one. another, loan vvary the order of the soundsproduced. The

passage' of air to. the control valves or disks 3) is regulated by one valve a, the air however flowing to said disksthroughseveral tubes e;

Thekeyboard or like part from which the air valves or cocks a are controlled, may be fitted in any convenientposition, independent of or separate from themain apparatus, but is connected to the latter by air conduits which communicate with the casingsd containing the continuously rotating valves 6 above referred to. In cases where a continuous flow of compressed air is required for operating anypart such as for blowing a whistle, the supply of air passes direct from the control valves to the instrument in the known manner. The'continuously rotating valves h before described, provide for the intermittent operation of therequired parts and also regulate the period of such operations. e

For producingthe sound ofa motor car, I employ aireciprocating piston (seeFig. 9) of known form and arrangement operated by the compressed air and connected to a metallicor other sheet orplate 0 (see Fig. 1) Which it causes to vibrate. I

' To produce the sound of water falling, as in a waterfall, I secure'a cylinder 79 (Fig. l)lto a drum skin'g on whicha number of pellets or like parts are placed As the piston vibrates the drumskin with the pellets is also vibrated and the required sound produced. Or a piece of chain mail may be moved. over the drum skin and pellets.

:The'rapidly reciprocating or single acting pistonsioperated by the compressedair may operate iii-conjunction with many different formsof sound producing devices. Thus the striker 1', Fig. 1, operates a bell s, the striker t, the .clrum a," the striker a), the metal plates to, the strikers m the hinged cup like members which separate and com together again and produce thesound of a horse running, or galloping. 1 The hingedly, mounted plates 12 Fig. 2, areoprated by a compressed air actuated piston,

as are also the bells 2.

tons or strikers and also the rate of reciprocation of the vibrating or 'rapidly reciprocating pistons. The rate of rotation of' the valve 6 is controlled by the rheostat 9. Instead of employing a plurality of separate rotatingdisks 72 (see Fig. 6), Imay form the same all in one piece.

Having now described my inventionwhat I claim as new anddesiretosecure by Letters Patent is 1. In sound producing appartus for theatrical and like purposes, the combination with compressed air supplying means and a sound producing device, of a hand actuated valve and also a continuously operated power actuated valve for controlling and regulating the flow of compressed airbetween said means and device, asrset .forth.

2 In sound producing apparatus for theatrical and like purposes, the combination with compressed air supplying means, of

hand actuated valves, arranged in close proximity to one another, continuouslyro tating disk valves each .havingcat least one slot therein, a casing around said disk valves, inlet, outlet and exhaust connections to said casing, and piston like elementsin communicatlon w1th said outlet connections,

the compressed air passing in seriesthrough said hand actuated valves and continuously rotating disk valves on its way to said piston-like elements, as set forth.

3. In sound producing apparatus forthcatrical and like purposes, the combination with compressed air supplying means, of'a .handactuated valve controlling. the .com-

pressed air supply, a pluralityv of continuously operated disk valves receiving com pressed air from said hand actuatedvalves,

and a series ofpiston like elements each controlled byone of thedisk val ves,the said pp y n continuously operated valves compressed air to said piston like elements in series, the compressed air passing in S8. ries throughsaid hand actuated valves and continuously operated valves .to the piston likeielements, asset forth.

4C. In sound producing apparatusfor the- .atrical and like purposes, the combination with compressed air supplying means, of hand actuated valves receiving compressed. air from.said.means,.a plurality ofcontinuously operated disk valves -receivingcompressed air from said hand actuated valves, name to this specification in the presence of a series of pistin likef elements eaclrlhrecaivltwo subscribing Witnesses. ing compresse air rom one of t e is valves, and sound producing devices actu- ALBERP HARRISON MOORHOUSE' 5 ated by said piston like elements, as set Witnesses:

forth. ARTHUR HUGHES, In testimony whereof I have signed my HILDA HUGHES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, D. G. 

